


Just to Kiss You

by camimendes



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Depression, F/F, Self-Harm, Triggers, beronica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-19 23:51:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10650678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camimendes/pseuds/camimendes
Summary: Betty Cooper is broken. She's been through hell and back. Veronica picks her up this time.





	Just to Kiss You

She couldn't stop. She was strong but she was fully capable of shattering. What made her strong was her ability to fight back and never give up on life after she would fall down. Betty Cooper fell down a lot as she grew up, not only as in falling on the park concrete and getting scraped knees, but falling mentally. Nobody really knew she was falling except for her sister Polly, who has witnessed her little sister dig her nails into the palms of her hands. Her fists were so tight, the blood would be drawn as if her nails were razor blades. She tries razor blades once but it wasn't as satisfying as the feeling of her own nails cutting the skin of her hands.

The first time Betty curled her hands up into tight fists was when she was only 8 years old. 

_"I want to figure skate" Young Betty tells her mother._

_"No, you're going to focus on your studies and be the perfect student that you are" Betty runs up to her room and slams the door, hands balling up into fists full of anger._

_"Betty?" A voice of only two years older than she calls out._

_"Go away"_

_"It's not mom. It's me, Polly." Her sister says gently, hand on Betty's bedroom door._

_"Polly, not now" Betty pleads._

Now, as Betty turns 18, she often gets flashbacks of the first time she formed crescents on the palms of her hands. She can still hear her sister's voice, her mother's scolding and the pain she felt as she dug her nails into her skin.

"Elizabeth, you can't do that. Look what happened to Polly. You're staying home" Betty's mother warns her. 

Polly Cooper, now 20 years old is in a youth home. She had gotten pregnant with Jason Blossom's baby. Jason Blossom was a football player at Riverdale High, also the twin brother of Cheryl Blossom, the lead River Vixen at Riverdale. Jason died on a tragic plan to escape Riverdale with Polly to raise their baby at a farm upstate. But he never made it to the other side of the river, as they say. But who knows what the truth is. The Blossom family is full of lies and secrets. But all this to say, Polly wasn't there for Betty anymore. She was alone.

"Mom, I'm not Polly. I'm my own person. I am going to the party" Betty grits her teeth and balls her hands into a fist.

Betty's mother doesn't notice the action and simply sighs, turning around.

"You'll be facing consequences if you step foot out of that door" She mumbles.

"Go for it." Betty fights.

And with that, she goes up to her room and lies in bed.

Tears begin rolling down her cheeks. She hears a knock at the door and quickly wipes her tears, tightens her ponytail and doesn't invite them in.

"It's me, dad." Her father says.

"Your mother said you're not allowed to go out but I had a talk with her. She won't budge but I'll cover for you" He says as he enters the room.

"It's fine. I just won't go. I'm going to sleep" Betty lies. She just wants him out. He doesn't put up a fight and just leaves, closing the door.

Betty grabs her phone on her nightstand and has a few texts waiting for her, 3 from Veronica.

**Veronica (4:56): B, what time shall Smithers and I pick you up?**

**Veronica (4:59): I'm wearing my black dress. The one with lace. Send me a snap of what you're wearing!!!**

**Veronica (5:25): Betts, I gotta know when to get youuu**

Betty sighs and texts back.

**Betty (5:41): I can't go.**

**Veronica (5:41): Um, yes. You are. I'll be there in 15 minutes.**

**Betty (5:42): No. I can't. Forget it. Go with Archie.**

**Veronica (5:43): Are you nuts? I'm not gonna with with Arch. Betty, get dressed. I'm coming in 15 minutes. I swear.**

Betty doesn't give Veronica a reply and digs her nails into her skin, once again. She doesn't know what to do. Sleep it off? Probably.

Exactly 15 minutes later, Veronica reaches the Cooper household and knocks on the door. She knows not to ring the bell because "mrs. Cooper gets headaches easily and doesn't want to be bothered, especially by a Lodge". Mrs. Cooper answers the door, what a surprise, and tilts her head to the side.

"Veronica Lodge" she states.

"Yeah, that is me" Veronica lets out a ridiculed chuckle and steps in.

"She's not going to the dance. And why don't you put on some clothes? You're practically dressed like your mother was 20 years ago at the same damned dance" Alice Cooper states and turns around before Veronica can even reply. Veronica rolls her eyes and walks upstairs straight to Betty's room.

She knocks. No response.

"Betty" Veronica's soft call startles Betty and she almost wants to hide her palms and her tears but doesn't feel the need to.

Veronica was her best friend. She should be able to see the truth behind Betty's _perfect_ self.

Veronica opens the door and walks in. She walks towards the bed where Betty is lying in fetal position. She sits on the bed behind Betty.

"Betty, what's going on?" She rubs her arm.

Betty shrugs her shoulders and pulls her sleeves of her cardigan down to cover her palms.

"You're coming to this party" Veronica tries to pull her up but her deadweight doesn't let her.

"Betty, come on. Get up"

Betty doesn't usually snap. She doesn't usually let anyone see the darkness that dawns in the back of her head. She never dreams of expressing this side of her. But she can't take it anymore. She's done.

"I'm not fucking going. Now leave me alone to die in my fucking bed and that's fucking that." She stays lying down and tenses up.

Veronica's jaw drops little by little without notice and she hesitates to put a hand on Betty.

"Betty." She calls out.

"Look at me right now"

Betty doesn't turn around.

"Elizabeth Cooper" She raises her tone.

Betty sits up.

Her pupils are large and dark and it almost seems like she's been terrified. Veronica's response to Betty is exactly that - terrified.

Veronica puts a hand on Betty's leg gently and gulps.

"Betty, you just told me you wanted to die" She lets out as gently and quietly as she can.

Betty shrugs her shoulders and nods, pursing her lips, confirming Veronica's thoughts.

"I'm not going to let that happen. You're not going to do that to me" Veronica tries not to cry. She talks through a tightened jaw, holding back tears. She grits her teeth and closes her eyes for a few seconds, keeping the tears in. When she opens her eyes, tears fall and she doesn't bother wiping them.

"Betty" She calls out. "Answer me" Veronica is practically sobbing now as she begs for Betty to respond.

Betty puts a hand on Veronica's knee and rubs with her thumb.

"I'm sorry" Veronica apologizes for crying and she wipes her tears.

"It's" Betty pauses. "I'm sorry for scaring you. Just. Just forget it. Let's go" Betty's eyes begin to soften and she puts a fist under the blanket and digs her nails, one last time.

"I can't just forget it, Betty! You want to die! You're not okay!" Veronica's voice rises and Betty puts a hand on her mouth. "Shhh"

"Ronnie, let's just talk later. I'll be okay" Veronica nods her head no.

"Come on. Pick my outfit" Betty gets up and opens her closet.

Veronica takes a deep breath and respects Betty's wish. She gets up and immediately chooses the light pink dress, the one that makes her look like a princess.

Betty smiles for the first time today and Veronica forces a fake smile back.

"Help me put it on?" Betty asks. Veronica nods. Betty strips down to her underwear and her white bra and Veronica gets butterflies. She's never seen Betty change before.

Betty steps into the dress and approaches Veronica. The raven-haired girl zippers the dress and smiles. "You look beautiful, Betty" 

"So do you but you -" Betty cups Veronica's face in her hand. "You need to fix your make up, bella" Betty strokes her cheek. Veronica feels butterflies again.

* * *

At the party, in which Veronica managed to get Betty to, passed her mother and all, Veronica is filling up her and Betty's cup quite a bit.

It should be mentioned that Betty is not used to drinking and a cup or two is all she needs to feel something. However, Veronica is quite used to drinking, as New York City was a party central for her. And it should also be mentioned that, oh yes, Veronica has been feeling an increasing amount of butterflies per glass of alcohol this evening.

Veronica Lodge - a young raven-haired woman never actively thought about her sexuality. She was always going with the flow. She's kissed boys and she's kissed girls. She's kissed Betty at the cheerleading tryouts, not that it meant anything. _Or did it?_ Let's just say Veronica cares enormously about her blonde friend, Betty Cooper. That's all she thought it was, but until today, seeing Betty in so much pain, she felt that pain too. She felt like taking Betty in and caring for her, even if that meant for forever. And isn't that what a _lover_ wants to do? 

"Ronnie, you need to stop filling my cupppp" Betty extends her p at the end of cup and giggles. She giggles at almost anything she says now. 

"Betty, you need to let loose" Veronica corrects her and pours some raspberry sour puss and blue caraçao into her cup. "One porn star, coming up"

"Porn star? Is that want you want to be?" Betty giggles and feels up Veronica. She puts a hand on her waist as she pours and then drags her hand onto the girl's thigh. There go the butterflies once again.

"Betty" She warns her. But why? It feels good. It even feels... _right_. 

"Come on, Ronnie!" Betty whines and bites her lip.

She's never seen Betty this touchy either. She knows Betty kissed her back at tryouts, but she never would have guessed Betty could swing this way. Never in a million years.

"Let's go sit out by the deck" Veronica takes Betty's hand and leads the two outside of the party home. Nobody was outside by the pool and Veronica thought it would be especially peaceful to sit here, drinking with Betty.

Betty lets Veronica sit. "Can I sit with you?" Veronica hesitates on the answer but nods yes. Betty giggles and plops herself right onto Veronica's lap, almost spilling her entire drink and Veronica, still only feeling a buzz, catches it. "Watch it, B" She smiles sweetly.

Betty looks at Veronica. "Thank you, V"

Veronica hates this. She hates how much Betty has been affecting her lately and how much she cares and how much she feels in trouble right now because Betty is drunk. Betty doesn't actually like Veronica. She has no idea she's flirting. She doesn't want to get hopeful for nothing.

Betty's hand rests on Veronica's shoulder and Betty winces in slight pain.

"What is it?" Veronica asks whispering in her ear.

Betty brings her hand back towards her and looks down, biting her lip. She hides her hand.

"Betty" Veronica puts their cups down and takes Betty's wrist.

"Show me. Now" She looks into Betty's eyes and Betty turns her hand around. Veronica looks down and gasps. The markings are almost still bleeding.

"Fuck" Veronica mouths.

"I shouldn't have shown you" Betty hides her hand. 

"No. No! You - you should have and you shouldn't ever hide from me" Veronica takes her hands. She brings them up and kisses them softly.

Betty grabs Veronica's face into her hands and their eyes meet. "Ronnie" She pleads.

Betty moves in and their lips meet for the second time ever.

Veronica deepens the kiss and Betty eventually asks for entrance by tracing her tongue againsnt Veronica's lips.

The kiss lasts for a moment and they finally break apart.

"Veronica. Please. Don't run." Betty immediately begs.

"Betty." She says softly, stroking her cheek.

"I would never. I said this before and I'll tell you again. Never"

"But Betty" She adds. "You're drunk. You don't -" Betty cuts her off. "I do. I do like you. I love you. and I have since you kissed me" She confesses.

"And by the way, I'm not drunk. I'm pretending." She smirks.

Veronica's jaw drops and Betty kisses her cheek.

"I just wanted to give myself an excuse to kiss you."

 


End file.
